Tuesday, June 1, 2010

THE LOVELY ONES :: Marilyn Monroe

"Being a sex symbol is a heavy load to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered."

Norma Jeane Mortenson (later baptised as Norma Jeane Baker), more famously known as Marilyn Monroe, was born on this day, June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California.

Due to a mentally unstable mother and the unclear status as to who her biological father was, she spent the majority of her childhood in orphanages and foster care.

Married for the first time in 1942 at age 16, she started modeling while her husband, Jim Dougherty was away as a Merchant Marine in World War II. Encouraged by the possibility of a modeling and acting career which her husband disapproved of, she divorced Dougherty in 1946.

After being featured in a few small roles, she signed with 20th Century Fox in 1950.
The Golden Globe winning actress starred in numerous films like Niagara (1953), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), The Seven Year Itch (1955), Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Misfits (1961).

Married and divorced three times, famously to baseball player Joe Di Maggio and playwright Arthur Miller. It has long been rumoured that she had an affair with President John F. Kennedy (while he was in the White House) and his brother Robert Kennedy as well.

Suffering life-long bouts of depression and insomnia, she became dependent on sleeping pills and alcohol, which exacerbated her erratic and self-destructive behaviour. Her constant tardiness and physical illness thought to be brought on by acute stage fright, resulted in her being suspended and then permanently dismissed from 20th Century Films.

Marilyn Monroe died on August 5, 1962. She was found unconscious and unresponsive in her bedroom at her Brentwood home in Los Angeles, California. Although deemed as an 'probable suicide' caused by a drug overdose, there has always been an aura of mystery surrounding the details of her death, leading many to believe there was some sort of conspiracy to cover up the truth of what really happened to Ms. Monroe.

19 comments:

Wow! These are perfect images to capture the essence of Miss Marilyn! So sad that she died way too young, just like Judy Garland. That would have been so neat to see her grow old with continued sass and sex appeal. Great post!

Loved your post!! I use MM's photos as avi's because believe it or not I was named after her. My father, like every red-blooded man in the 40's & 50's, was crazy for her. My first name is Marilyn & my middle name is actually Jean....... I am now nearing 60 & not as beautiful as MM but she will forever be frozen in time to be the ageless beautify she was.Stop by my blog for My Summer GiveAway ! !Love,Marilynxxoo

Great post Lily. It's cool how you worked in the facts with the gorgeous pictures. Excellent job. I think my fave pics are the very first one and the one where she is dressed in all black. I may have to use a few for my blog. I would have honored MM more on my blog but I recently had her as my classic movie goddess for a month. So I'm glad someone was able to do such a great blog about her like yourself. Great stuff.

About Me

Anastasia Schembri is an etiquette trainer, freelance writer, and the editor behind 'Lily Lemontree', a site dedicated to the revival of social graces. She will never give up her dream of breathing life back into the handwritten note, good manners and proper cocktail parties.